A Video Game with a Deadly Secret - Pale Luna Creepypasta Story Time // Something Scary | Snarled

Summary

In the chilling tale of 'Pale Luna,' a mysterious text adventure game from the 80s, players navigate a cryptic journey that leads one persistent explorer, Michael Nevins, to a shocking real-world discovery. The game's obscure commands and frustrating bugs were dismissed as programming flaws until Michael's dedication unveiled a hidden message. Following in-game coordinates, he unearthed the remains of a missing girl, Karen Paulsen, in Lassen Volcanic Park. The game's programmer remains elusive, leaving the story a chilling blend of digital and reality.

Takeaways

• 🌌 The story is about a video game called 'Pale Luna' that has a deadly secret.
• 🎮 'Pale Luna' was a text adventure game from the late 80s, similar to 'Zork' and 'The Lurking Horror'.
• 🚫 The game was notoriously difficult and buggy, with limited commands and frequent system freezes.
• 🏙️ It was never circulated outside the San Francisco Bay area and all known copies have been disposed of.
• 👨‍💻 Michael Nevins, a persistent player, managed to progress past the initial screens after extensive trial and error.
• 🗺️ The game led Michael to coordinates in Lassen Volcanic Park, suggesting a real-world treasure hunt.
• ⛏️ Following the game's clues, Michael discovered a decomposing body, which turned out to be a missing girl.
• 👮‍♂️ The girl was identified as Karen Paulsen, who had been missing for over a year.
• 🔍 Attempts to find the game's programmer were unsuccessful due to the anonymous nature of the software swapping community.
• 📖 The story serves as a chilling narrative about the dark side of gaming and the internet's ability to hide secrets.

Q & A

What is the title of the video game mentioned in the script?

The title of the video game mentioned in the script is 'Pale Luna'.

Why was Pale Luna never circulated outside of the San Francisco Bay area?

Pale Luna was never circulated outside of the San Francisco Bay area due to the abstruse design choices made by its programmer, which made the game difficult to play and share.

What genre of video game is Pale Luna classified as?

Pale Luna is classified as a text adventure game, similar to games like Zork and The Lurking Horror.

What was unique about the gameplay of Pale Luna?

The gameplay of Pale Luna was unique because it was confusing and buggy, with only specific commands accepted and incorrect choices leading to system freezes.

What was the reaction of most players who tried Pale Luna?

Most players who tried Pale Luna became frustrated with its unplayable nature and threw the disk away, considering it a poorly programmed game.

Who was the one person mentioned in the script that managed to progress further in the game?

Michael Nevins was the one person mentioned who managed to progress further in the game after hours of trial and error.

What did Michael Nevins discover after following the game's instructions in real life?

After following the game's instructions in real life, Michael Nevins discovered the badly-decomposing head of a blonde-haired little girl.

What was the identity of the girl whose remains Michael Nevins found?

The girl was identified as Karen Paulsen, who was 11 years old and had been reported missing to the San Diego Police Department a year and a half prior.

Why was it difficult to track down the programmer of Pale Luna?

It was difficult to track down the programmer of Pale Luna because the software swapping community operated in a legal gray area, leading to many dead ends.

What was the outcome of Michael's discovery for the rest of Karen Paulsen's body?

The rest of Karen Paulsen's body was never found despite the efforts made to locate it.

What is the significance of the phrase 'Reap your reward' in the context of the game?

In the context of the game, the phrase 'Reap your reward' is a morbidly ironic instruction that leads to the discovery of Karen Paulsen's remains, which was the 'reward' the game was hinting at.